It’s time for #6degrees. Start at the same place as other wonderful readers, add six books, and see where you end up!
This month we begin with Arthur Golden’s international bestseller, Memoirs of a Geisha. I took this book on holiday with me to Far North Queensland and have fond memories of sitting on the beach and by the pool, absorbed in Golden’s sumptuous story.
When I returned to FNQ a number of years later, my holiday reading was Jonathan Safran Foer’s Everything Is Illuminated – somehow the romp around the Ukraine was at odds with my poolside location and I didn’t much enjoy this book.
I have one Foer book on my shelf that I’m yet to read – Tree of Codes. Which makes me automatically leap to Peter Wohlleben’s The Hidden Life of Trees.
The Hidden Life of Trees examines how trees communicate with each other – some of the ideas described in the book were used to introduce the narrative in Donal Ryan’s latest novel, From a Low and Quiet Sea.
Ryan’s book is structured as three stand alone short stories, which are linked in a final, fourth chapter. It reminded me a little of Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout, which also read like a collection of short stories.
Olive Kitteridge was made into a very good television series (I don’t often say that!). Another television series, based on a book, that I have enjoyed recently is Howard’s End (by E. M. Forster).
Where will other chains lead? Link up below or post your link in the comments section.
Next month (May 5, 2018), we’ll begin with Barbara Kingsolver’s bestselling novel, The Poisonwood Bible.
The TV series led to me reading Strout, a very good outcome!
Yes indeed!
I’ve read some bizarre books poolside too – it could almost be a meme on it’s own!
Olive was a tremendous TV series wasn’t it, which means you’ve now got me excited about Howards End….one day!
Get onto Howard’s End now while it’s still on ABC iview!
I didn’t enjoy Everything Is Illuminated either although I liked Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. I think I was expecting Illuminated to be similar. Have you read anything else by Foer?
I read Extremely Loud and loved it. Last year I read Here I Am and loved that as well, although with a few qualifiers (there were a couple of sections that were a little bit ranty about religion and politics but the good certainly outweighed that).
I need to watch Howard’s End, too – I began recording them, but forgot to series link it, so will need to look them up on iview as well – but should I read the book first, as it’s one I never got to before now??
I think I read the book AFTER I had seen the Merchant Ivory movie version in the eighties and it didn’t ruin it either way. The BBC miniseries is really well done, I’d dive straight into that while it’s still on iview.
Those Merchant Ivory Forster movies were fabulous weren’t they?
Sigh
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Here’s mine! #6Degrees of Separation for April: https://anzlitlovers.com/2018/04/07/six-degrees-of-separation-from-memoirs-of-a-geisha-to/
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One of my favorite books of all time both this month and May! Well done!
Woo hoo, another book I’ve read for next month – though my copy has gone AWOL. Here’s my Six Degrees: https://whisperinggums.com/2018/04/07/six-degrees-of-separation-from-memoirs-of-a-geisha-to/
I enjoyed yours Kate, though I must say I remember liking Everything is illuminated. As I recollect it was one of those serious books with a light touch. I love authors who can do that, and I thought he did. I enjoyed the Howard’s End miniseries too – and I think it might result in my reading group deciding to do it later this year. In a way, I’d love to do A passage to India, but doing any Forster again would be a thrill.
I still must read Olive Kittredge. I have it, but haven’t read it.
The Poisonwood Bible! Is one of my favourite books and I nearly put in in this month’s chain – glad I didn’t! I loved Howard’s End, the book, but preferred it to the TV series.
I’ve only read your beginning and ending books. That seems fitting. I’ll be missing next month but hope to be back in June.
Great chain this month! The only one of your books I’ve read is Howards End, but I would like to read Memoirs of a Geisha.
I haven’t read Memoirs of a Geisha in years, but like you I have vivid memories of it. The Hidden Life of Trees sounds fascinating!
I also read Memoirs of a Geisha on the beach, in my case in Maui. I still haven’t read anything by Foer, although I do own a copy of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. The Howards End miniseries was so good; I’m about to watch it for the third time! Great chain, and I look forward to next month’s!
I haven’t read Memoirs of a Geisha although it’s been on my wishlist for ages. However, I read Olive Kitteridge recently and gradually, as the book progressed, grew very fond of that lady.
I hope I’ll be able to see the Howard’s End adaptation soon. I loved the film back in 1990-something.
Such an interesting chain! I can certainly understand why Everything is Illuminated would be an odd juxtaposition to poolside relaxation.
Looking forward to seeing everyone’s chains. Mine is here: https://betweenlifeanddreaming.blogspot.com/2018/04/six-degrees-of-separation-april-2018.html
Thanks for hosting this meme. I enjoy putting together my chain, although I am new it.
Really enjoying thinking through this chain so thank you for hosting it! Discovering lots of new books to check out from everyones chains too!
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Bit late to it, as I was away on holiday, but I really wanted to take part in this favourite monthly chain!
Fascinating chain, MarinaSofia. I enjoyed reading it.
I also have fond memories of reading Memoirs of a Geisha.
We, the Muse & Views Book Club are a bit late but here is our meme for this month, from Memoirs of a Geisha to Medicine Walk
Sorry forgot to include the link!https://bookclub9.blogspot.ca/2018/04/six-degrees-of-separation-from-memoir.html
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Finally managed to get my head around this after a couple of months absence. I’ve put my link in the linky.
I’m late too, but not as late as usual. I enjoyed this one. Memoirs of a Geisha is one of my favourite books. I’ve strung together six books here https://thinkaboutreading.wordpress.com/2018/04/09/six-degrees-of-separation-from-memoirs-of-a-geisha-to-the-time-travellers-wife/
I loved Everything is Illuminated but, yeah, it’s not really poolside reading. I also liked Howard’s End but haven’t watched the BBC adaptation yet. I didn’t like the film and it put me off the telly version. I’m intrigued by Olive Kitteridge – that’s a wonderful name.
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This one was tough going! I had three false starts…..
Spot on with the Olive Kitteridge adaptation. Frances McDormand was born to play Olive!
I have the Howard’s End series recorded and ready to go. I didn’t know there was an Olive Kitteridge series – must hunt that one out. That said, I really want to read both books rather than take the easy option via the tv. I started Howard’s End once but didn’t get far. Time for another try perhaps. Fascinating chain, Kate. I’m imagining reading Geisha by a pool in Queensland….
My chain is in the linky 🙂
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